VAN-BASED FRANCHISES
Driven to success! S
Stuart Fawcett, Wokingham Apollo Blinds franchisee, on the freedom of his van-based franchise
tuart is the first to admit that he ‘fell into’ Apollo Blinds, having previously been a personal trainer
and also a project manager in the exhibition industry. During lockdown, he started working for his friend who owned the franchise for Wokingham and within a couple of years, he had bought out the business!
What did you do before franchising and what prompted the change? Within six months of working for my friend, we started talking about me taking over the franchise, as she was running other businesses as well. It’s a great business and a great business model, so there was no downside to the opportunity.
How did you find out about franchising and this brand in particular? It was only when I started working for my friend that I realised that Apollo Blinds was a franchise and we were part of a national network.
“A van is a great way to stand out and advertise our business”
Were you specifically looking for a business that meant you could be out on the road / van-based while delivering the service? Being van-based is much better than having a store because our customers want to see our collections in their homes so they can see how the different blinds and fabrics will look with their windows.
Describe the process for joining as a franchisee – how long did it take? Once the sale was agreed with my friend, I attended the week-long induction programme at Apollo Blinds HQ and started trading straightway. Although I had built up a lot of knowledge and
Stuart Fawcett
experience already, the training was very helpful, as it filled in the gaps.
How is business going so far? Have you faced any challenges? The business has gone from strength to strength, and we are consistently one of the network’s top performers. The biggest challenge I face is finding skilled people who I can bring on to be part of my installation team. As well as being skilled at installing our products – such as Shutters and Motorised blinds, which are our bestsellers – they need to have great customer care skills.
How has life changed since you launched your business? Between my partner and I, we have four children, so there’s plenty of juggling going on to make sure we put the family first.
What advice would you give to anyone considering a (van-based) franchise? As mentioned, in our industry, a van-based model is the best one because we need to visit customers in their own homes. We have a very striking-looking van, so it’s a great way to stand out and advertise our business as we’re driving from appointment to appointment.
What do you foresee for the future of your business? What are your plans? As mentioned, if we can find skilled installers who can represent our business and our brand, then that could free up my valuable time to attend more home consultation appointments.
apolloblindsfranchise.co.uk BUSINESSFRANCHISE.COM 101
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